Busted: A Loud Verse Fic
by Shenaniganon
Summary: Lyra's not as stealthy as she thought. A Loud Verse short story.


"Miss Loud? The principal will see you now."

"…okay." Lyra took a deep breath before she responded, getting out of her chair and walking towards the door to the principal's office.

The door to the office was open, so Lyra walked in, stopping at the doorway. Principal Kean—a tall balding man in his fifties—was sitting at his messy-as-usual desk, trying to organize a few papers that were strewn about. He hadn't heard Lyra come in, so she lightly knocked on the door to get his attention. He looked up and gave her a jovial smile, saying, "Ah, Lyra…thank you for coming. Please, take a seat…oh, and could you close the door behind you?"

"Yes, sir." Lyra smiled back and closed the door before she sat down in one of the two seats across from the principal's desk.

"Your mother couldn't make it then?" Kean put his papers down and acknowledged the empty seat next to Lyra. "I had asked if you could bring a parent or guardian with you…"

"Unfortunately, my mom is out of town right now, so she couldn't make it." Lyra replied quickly, leaving out how she had been home yesterday. Lyra had made a point not to mention this little visit to the principal's office while she was in town. It would have made things more complicated if she was here, after all.

"Mmm…I suppose that's the entertainer's lifestyle…" Kean shrugged as he spoke. "Nothing we can do about that…I suppose it will be fine…"

Lyra helpfully offered, "If this is something that needs her…I still haven't been told why you asked me to come by after school today, but I can try and find a day she'll be available…"

This was true—Lyra hadn't been told why the principal needed a meeting with her today. Of course, not being told is different from not knowing. Lyra knew very well why she had been called down.

Which was exactly why she avoided mentioning it to anyone. Having her mom or anyone else here would make it harder to lie.

"No, we can handle this ourselves…ah, let's see…" Kean was trying to think of the best way to approach the subject. Lyra sat quietly, continuing to play dumb with a gentle smile on her face. Finally Kean continued, "Lyra, you know how much we appreciate you here, right? I can't think of many students who exemplify what we encourage students to achieve here at Royal Woods High as much as you."

"Thank you, sir." Lyra nodded her head in a slight bow. "It's an honor to hear you say that."

"It's very deserved. Academically, you're near the top of your grade…you've been an active part of student government…and your performance at the fall student music festival was simply superb." Kean shuffled through some of the papers on his desk as he rattled off Lyra's achievements. "And you even find time to help tutor your cousins Liena and Liby in your spare time as well."

"I try to do what I can, Mr. Kean." Lyra smiled, not batting an eyelid at the mention of her 'cousins'. That was all they were, as far as the school was concerned.

"Yes…all things considered, I'd say you're the very example of a model student…" Kean paused, then sighed as he picked up another sheet of paper. "…which is what makes this all the more difficult to talk about."

Lyra glanced at the paper he held, just for a moment. She had a solid idea what was on it. She didn't know for certain, but given the timing, it was hard to see it being anything else. No matter. She had a plan. She could get through this without any…

"Mr. Kean?" Lyra's thoughts were interrupted when the radio on Kean's desk buzzed, the secretary's voice coming through a moment later.

"Ah…one moment, Lyra." Kean smiled apologetically to Lyra before picking up his radio. "Go ahead, Maria."

"Miss Loud's guardian has just arrived for your meeting." The secretary's voice came through again in reply. "Should I send him in now?"

"Oh, excellent timing…yes, please, send him in." Kean answered with a bit of relief, as he set his radio down and looked to the door.

Lyra turned to the door too, her face still calm, but her thoughts racing. Why? Why was he here? She didn't tell him anything! The only person that she even mentioned this to was Liby, today, and all she said was that she had to stay after, and to head home with Liena and not wait for her. So how did…

The rattling of the door handle stopped her train of thought, and she looked over as the door opened. "Sorry I'm late…lost track of time." Lincoln Loud sheepishly ruffled his snowy hair with his hand as he entered the room.

"No problem at all…your timing is perfect, actually." Kean got up from his seat and offered Lincoln his hand. "I don't believe we've met…you're Lyra's…"

"Uncle." Lyra answered Kean's question first. "He's my Uncle Lincoln."

"Yep…Lincoln Loud, at your service." Lincoln grasped Kean's hand and shook it. "I'm also Lyra's guardian in town, since her mom is on the road all the time."

"Is that so…ah, yes, I see you're listed here as one of Lyra's emergency contacts." Kean glanced at a form on his desk as he spoke. "Well, Mr. Loud, thank you for joining us today."

"Not a problem." Lincoln took the seat next to Lyra's. "So, how can I help?"

"Well…it's not really help that I need…just an explanation." Kean sighed, thinking through his words carefully, before he picked up a paper, the one he had been about to discuss with Lyra. "Mr. Loud…"

Lyra was just barely able to keep her face calm while her thoughts raced again, this time to the verge of panic. No! She yelled internally. You can't say it! Not in front of him!

"Mr. Loud…" Lyra's mental anguish couldn't stop Kean from speaking, of course. "…I'll get straight to the point. We are concerned that your niece has been drinking. I have here a report from a teacher who claims she saw Lyra out late at night, walking into a bar unsupervised."

"…I see…" Lincoln glanced at Lyra, who was doing everything she could to keep up her poker face. "…could you tell me more? I don't want to rush to judgment…"

"Nor do I, Mr. Loud, but…" Kean thought to himself before continuing. "Well, why don't I let you hear it for yourself. Mrs. Jones filed this report with us last Friday. She was driving back home the night before, around 11pm, from an event out of town, when she claims to have spotted Lyra walking alone down Lee Street. Mrs. Jones says that Lyra appeared unsteady, possibly already drunk, before walking into a well-known bar on Lee Street. She couldn't stop to confirm it, as she had to keep up with traffic, but she did not see Lyra come out of the bar in the time she was there."

Lincoln and Lyra were both quiet for a moment, Lincoln looking deep in thought before he spoke. "She was sure it was Lyra?"

"She was." Kean nodded. "Mrs. Jones had Lyra last year for English 10. She claims she was dressed very differently from how she normally is, but she could still recognize her face."

Another pause hung in the air. Lyra still hadn't said anything in response to Kean's allegations. What could she say? This jig was up.

Her planned excuse, that she was only going into the club next door to watch her mom's friend play a concert? That was gone. She told Lincoln she was sleeping over at her friend Grace's house that night. Grace, who lived nowhere near Lee Street. As soon as he said that, it would be all over. She had to think of some way, any way she could make those two excuses fit…

"Oh, wait…" Lincoln spoke up first, breaking the silence. "Did you say this was last Friday, or the night before that she saw Lyra?"

"Hmm? Ah…" Kean read the note again. "The report was filed last Friday, but she saw Lyra the night before, so it was Thursday night."

"Well, that's a relief!" Lincoln smiled, laughing slightly. "This is all just a big misunderstanding, then. I can explain everything."

"You…can?" Kean raised an eyebrow at Lincoln. "Well, I'd be happy to hear it if that's the case, but I don't see how…"

"Here, let me explain…" Lincoln leaned forward in his seat. "The thing is, I know which bar you're talking about, because we actually know the owner very well. He's an old family friend, you see. And last Thursday happened to be his birthday, so a lot of us went down there to celebrate with him."

"Is that so…" Kean glanced over to Lyra, who was just barely managing to keep her poker face up as she watched Lincoln explain. "But why was Lyra walking into the bar so late at night?"

"Ah, well, some of my sisters celebrated a bit too much, if you get my meaning." Lincoln gave Kean a sheepish smile before he patted Lyra on the back. "Lyra offered to go back and pick them up so they could get home at a somewhat decent hour, so I could get her younger cousins in bed. It was a big help…nice to have a girl this responsible around."

Internally, Lyra was almost besides herself with disbelief. Lincoln…did he come up with this story in just those few seconds? How did he do that? And…why? Why was he covering for her?

"I see…" Kean nodded along as Lincoln spoke, before he turned to Lyra. "However, that doesn't explain why Mrs. Jones said that Lyra appeared to be stumbling, and possibly drunk. Could you explain that for me, Lyra."

"I…yes, sir." Lyra hesitated for just a heartbeat before she replied. "To be honest, my aunt Lori offered me a sip of her wine while we were at the party…she said we were old enough, and among family, so…I guess it just hit me a little harder than she expected."

"Ah, really? You should have told me, Lyra…I wouldn't have made you go back and help out." Lincoln went along with the act. "Well, I guess I'll need to have a talk with my sister about that, Principal Kean, but I can assure you something like that won't happen again."

"Hmmm…well, yes. Please do so, Mr. Loud." Kean thought for a moment before he placed the paper with Mrs. Jones's report on the desk. "And as for our current situation…I suppose I can allow this to slide. I'm not happy about that wine, Lyra, but if I started disciplining every student who had a little sip with their family, my detention halls would be overflowing every day. Just make sure this doesn't happen again, all right? I won't be able to look the other way a second time."

"Of course, Principal Kean." Lyra nodded, breathing a slight sigh of relief. "And I promise, it won't happen again."

...

A few minutes later.

As the high school started fading in Vanzilla's rear view mirror, Lincoln glanced over to Lyra in the passenger seat and said, "So…think he bought it?"

Lyra was looking out the window, trying to piece together what just happened and only kind of paying attention to Lincoln. After thinking for a bit, she muttered, "How did you find out about…"

"Oh, that?" Lincoln chuckled. "I got a call around noon from the school, making sure Lyra's parent or guardian would be able to attend the meeting today. If you were planning to avoid telling us, it probably would have been a good idea to know whether the office will do that."

"Hmph…" Lyra grumbled again. "I had it handled."

"Oh yeah? What was your alibi gonna be?" Lincoln grinned as he turned the wheel. "You were at home studying all night? Or maybe, 'sure, I was there, but I actually went in the arcade next door, not the bar she saw me going into?'"

"No…it was a club next door." Lyra's face got a little red. "I was watching one of mom's friends perform."

"Oh yeah? Which friend?" The van being stopped at a red light, Lincoln could turn and give Lyra a knowing look. "And did you let them know they were part of your lie?"

"Chunk…and no…" Lyra rolled her eyes. "What does that have to…"

"Because that's a hole in your story." Lincoln cut Lyra off. "One phone call to Chunk, and you're caught."

Lyra was blushing a bit harder now, as she shot Lincoln a dirty look and said, "Same for you. What if Mr. Kean calls the bar and asks if they know us?"

"Then we'd have to buy the bar for a few days and have one of our friends pretend to be the actual owner to cover our tracks." Lincoln shrugged. "Honestly, it wouldn't be the first time…"

Lyra gave Lincoln a disbelieving look, which made him chuckle a bit before he continued, "I'll tell you about it later. My point is, though, that having more people to vouch for your excuse helps make it more plausible. They already suspect you of doing something, so they won't believe you're telling them the whole truth if you seem evasive. But if other people will back you up, especially people who seem reliable, then it makes your story much more convincing."

Lyra was quiet again as Lincoln finished explaining. There was a solid beat of silence that hung over the car for a minute, as the light turned green and Lincoln resumed driving, before she finally rolled her body over, so she could look at Lincoln and ask, "Why are you doing this?"

Lincoln glanced over to her before chuckling and saying, "Well, for one, if you're gonna try and scheme your way out of a situation like that, you should know how to do it right. I mean, you were completely unprepared for me showing up…if you want to lie, you need to…"

"That's not what I mean, and you know it." Lyra cut him off with an icy tone to her voice. "Why help me at all? I…I lied to you, and went out without telling you, and…all the rest, so why…"

She was having trouble finding the words to express herself, because even she wasn't sure what emotions she was dealing with. Frustration with getting caught? Disbelief at not getting in trouble for it? Confusion for why Lincoln, of all people, was playing the responsible one and helping her out? She just wasn't sure. All she knew was she had no idea how this situation was happening and needed an answer.

Lincoln, for his part, was quiet for a moment as he searched for that answer, before finally saying, "I guess…I felt like I owed you? No, wait, that doesn't sound right…I owed it to you to hear your side of the story first, before…gah, this is harder than I thought…"

While watching Lincoln flounder around for the right words was rewarding in its own right, it still wasn't getting Lyra the answers she needed right now. So, the only response she gave him was an icy stare, with its implicit message of 'just freaking get on with it' quite evident to Lincoln.

"Yeah, yeah, I know…" Lincoln sighed before he continued, "Lyra, you're…you've always been there when I've needed you these last few years. Helping to keep your siblings in line…heck, helping to keep your mom and your aunts in line sometimes, too…I wasn't kidding when I told your principal that it's good to have someone as responsible as you, because I know I can rely on you."

Lyra's eyebrow arched as Lincoln talked. "Are you really planning on giving me a talk about the importance of responsibility, Mr. I-Have-Countless-Illegitimate-Children?"

Lincoln chuckled. "Guess I deserved that. And no, that's not what I'm getting at. My point is, you always have been responsible, so when I heard that you did something as irresponsible as lying to me and going out drinking…well…I guess I felt I owed it to you to hear out why you did it. For all you've done for me up until now, you've earned that much at least.

"…Huh. Well, thanks, I guess." Lyra still wasn't sure how she should respond, and after a moment of searching, that sarcasm was all she could come up with. "Good to know that acting like a good girl can get me out of trouble. I'll keep that in mind."

"Whoa whoa…'out of trouble'?" Lincoln smirked as he glanced at her. "I don't think I said that…all I said was I was going to hear you out. You're still in plenty of trouble, missy."

"H-huh?!" Lyra's gaze snapped back to Lincoln as she sat up straight in her seat. "But you just…then why did you help me get out of Kean's office?"

"Because that 'permanent record' thing is no joke. Trust me on this." Lincoln seemed a bit flustered as he responded. "Forget about the trouble you'll be in now…once they catch wind about one little screw-up you've done, they'll make sure it haunts you. You're going to be applying to colleges in a year…do you want every college you look at to hear from your school about the time you were caught drinking alone at sixteen?"

"That's…" Lyra was going to snap back at him again, but the sense he was making sank in before she could. "…actually a good point, I guess…"

"At least when I punish you, you can know that I'll keep it in the house." Lincoln nodded, as he turned the wheel. "Speaking of which…as part of your punishment, you will also be staying in the house. No being out any later than…four-o-clock for the rest of the week, Lyra. Or at least until your mom gets home from her shows in Indiana, at which point we'll all sit down and discuss this together. And for the next couple of days, when you get home from school, you'll have to help your aunt Lana around the house with any handiwork she needs done. After that…let's see…"

Lyra sank into her seat a bit as Lincoln kept thinking of another punishment. Well…as annoying as this was, she supposed this was better than whatever she would be in for if she were still in Kean's office…

"…well, anyway, I suppose that can wait until later…" Instead of rattling off something else Lyra would have to do, Lincoln switched gears. "Right now, it's your turn to answer the questions. Why did you do this, Lyra?"

Lyra stiffened up. Ah, right, she thought to herself. Of course he was going to ask that, wasn't he? "I dunno…lots of kids my age do…"

"Maybe, but I'm not asking 'lots of kids', am I?" Lincoln cut her off. "I'm just asking you."

There was silence in the car for a moment. The radio was off too, so the only sounds were those of the engine and Lincoln's hands as he turned the wheel. Lincoln thought about asking her again, but he hesitated, not wanting to push the point too far.

"…do you think…" Lyra finally muttered, just loud enough to be heard over the engine. "…do you think it's easy to be the 'responsible' one? To know that you have to be there all the time? That everyone's always relying on you to be fucking perfect all the time?"

Lincoln didn't respond. He half-thought about admonishing Lyra for cursing, but it was so unusual for her to curse, that it only emphasized her point. And the frustration in her voice made it all the clearer to him what she was getting at.

"You don't know. You have no idea what that's like. Because you never were responsible for anything." Lyra gritted her teeth as she rolled herself to looking back to the window. "I remember what it was like, growing up at Grandma and Grandpa's. Anytime we could have used you around, you were too busy bringing some new girl to your room and ducking whatever you needed to do. And our moms were all in-and-out of the house, trying to get their own lives together and support us, because they couldn't rely on you."

Lincoln opened his mouth, but the words he thought about died in his throat, and he stayed quiet. Lyra needed to get this out, he knew…so he had to sit there and take it.

"It was Grandma and Grandpa, who weren't really sure how to handle…what we were…and Aunt Lily, sometimes, until she got into college. Everyone else was out of the house or in your bed. They were it, taking care of an always-growing number of kids." Lyra kept her gaze out the window as the words flowed out. "They needed one of us to step up and help out, but…Loan couldn't handle everything that was being dumped on her as it was. And Liena can barely handle anything even now. So…I had to. No one else was going to if I didn't."

The car drove on. Lyra had been quiet for a minute now, having either said what she wanted, or not knowing what else to say. Lincoln hadn't gotten his answer yet, but he kept quiet too, still unsure of what he should say…or what he could.

"And then…there's you." Lyra finally spoke again, getting to what Lincoln felt was coming for a while now. "You made a big deal about how you had to get your life together after we all found out just how much help Loan needed. But you don't know how. Because you've never had to have your life together."

"So instead of me being able to rely on you, you had to rely on me. Lyra, help me get your sisters to stop fighting. Lyra, Loan's panicking again, can you talk to her? Hey Lyra, your brother did…something stupid…and so on." Lyra was gripping her arms tightly now, still refusing to look anywhere but out the window. "And I always had to be there, to keep everything in line. Every time. All the time. And I'm just…so tired of it."

Lyra hesitated again, and Lincoln knew that this was the point he was waiting for. With a sigh, he glanced over to her, and said, "So…you went drinking to blow off some steam, huh?"

Lyra didn't twitch, keeping her gaze out the window. "…I got invited to a party at my friend's house…not telling you which one. One of the few times I didn't have to be 'the responsible kid', and I wanted to enjoy it. One of the kids brought some rum he smuggled out of his mother's house. I…didn't want to mess up the party, or have to be 'responsible', or…something…I really can't remember what I was thinking at the time. But I had some. And it was…such a release. I didn't have to think about taking care of anyone, or being the good girl, or…any of it. I liked that. And I wanted to feel it again, so…you can guess the rest."

Lincoln waited a moment to see if she wanted to add any more, but once it was clear that she was done, he sighed and laid back in his seat before muttering, "…We're home, by the way."

They had actually been home for a few minutes. Lyra knew that, as she recognized the neighbor's house outside the window, and heard the engine die down after Lincoln shut the car off. But she didn't get up. Lincoln didn't either. They both sat there, digesting the last half hour of their lives, thinking about what they should do or say next.

"Lyra…" Lincoln would be the one who spoke first at nearly the same time as Lyra had resolved to open the door and get out. "I know I haven't been…well, a lot of things, really. I know I've made a lot of mistakes in my life. And I know you must resent me for that. For all of it."

Lyra stayed quiet, her hand frozen on the handle. Lincoln continued, "But when I promised everyone…grandma and grandpa, and all my sisters, and all of you…that I would try to get better…to be a better person, I meant every word of it. That I would try. And I am trying. I might not be there yet, but…that won't stop me from trying."

After taking a deep breath, Lincoln opened his door, got out of the van, and walked around to Lyra's door. He opened it and looked Lyra in the eyes for the first time since they left the school. "So, the next time you feel like you can't take it anymore…or that you need a break…or that you just need me to be there for you? Don't do something like this. Just come and get me. And I promise, I will try my best to be what you need me to be. I can't promise I'll always succeed, but I can promise that I will always try for you."

Lyra tried to evade his gaze for a moment, but finally looked back up at him. "Do you really expect me to believe that? After all…I'm one of those mistakes you made."

"No, you're not. You've never been." Lincoln smiled at her. "How we got here might be strange, or might seem wrong to other people, but it wasn't a mistake. I'm happy that my life has you guys in it…and I will do anything to make sure it stays that way."

Lincoln offered Lyra his hand, motioning to the house. Lyra didn't say anything, yet. She stared at his hand for a second, which felt to her like much longer, before she finally took his hand and lifted herself out of the seat.

Lincoln's smile widened as he helped pull her up. "Ok then…c'mon, let's go inside. It's hot out here, and Aunt Lana just finished fixing the-"

His words were stopped before he could continue. As Lyra got out of the car, she grabbed Lincoln and wrapped him in a tight hug…the first time she had hugged him since…god, it had been so long, he couldn't remember. She squeezed him tight, and muttered, just barely audibly enough for him to hear, "…thanks, Dad."

The sudden show of affection was rather shocking for Lincoln, who was unsure of how to react for a moment. Finally, after a beat had passed, he lifted his arms, hugged her back and patted her head.

Or at least, he wanted to. But before he could, she released him from her grip and pushed herself away from him. She took a deep breath and turned to the door, saying to Lincoln, "Just so you know, if you ever let Lemy know about any of this, I will never forgive you."

And with that, Lyra opened the door and walked in the house. Lincoln was dumbfounded for another moment, before a smile curled across his face and he couldn't hold back his laughter anymore, following her into the house and closing the door behind him.


End file.
